S&M Intrikat

In 2012, S&M Bikes celebrated their 25th anniversary of manufacturing US-made BMX frames and components. Not a bad innings. Formed from the initials of Chris Moeller and Greg Swingrover, the company is responsible for bringing into reality some of the most iconic bikes the sport has seen, including the flatland Sabbath frame. The Intrikat is the latest iteration of that frame, and this one represents a great deal of sentimental value.

The Sabbath was introduced in 1996, dropping a bomb on what was available to the flatland scene at the time. It weighed in at 8.5 pounds so it was, quite literally, heavy metal. Adam Johnston, a Toronto-based designer and art director, remembers religiously riding his Sabbath as his first ‘real’ BMX when he was 14 years old, until a skatepark accident nearly destroyed his knee. He took up photographing the BMX scene while the knee mended and focused on art school.

After experimenting with road riding and mountain biking, the call of the 20″ was still audible, but street riding was still out of the picture. Believing flatland might be easier on the joints, Adam acquired himself the Sean McKinney and Chad Johnston-designed Intrikat frame—a fitting tribute to his original Sabbath. A mix of Odyssey and S&M parts completed the picture, with a hand from 1664BMX Distribution and Adam’s local bike shop, Toronto’s Ride Away Bikes.